Defense doesn't help in Clay Buchholz's rehab start

Saturday

Aug 31, 2013 at 6:00 AM

Clay Buchholz's second rehab stint lasted for 53 pitches and again featured errors behind him. This one was at Pawtucket on Friday night. Pitching against Syracuse, Buchholz allowed seven hits and one run in 3? innings.

The hits were six singles and a double, and three of the singles were by the first three batters he faced. PawSox fielders committed two errors when he was on the mound.

Buchholz is on the disabled list with what variously has been listed as a strained neck or inflamed bursa sac. His other rehab start was on Sunday night for Lowell in the NY-Penn League. Buchholz got just two batters out, but was victimized by poor defense as well.

He told reporters after he was taken out:

"I was able to throw all my pitches, it felt like, with the same effort level, same arm angle, so that's basically the final hump I had to get over as far as not having a second thought in the back of my head. Now it's just getting that release point down on each of my pitches and, obviously, not having a long first inning."

Buchholz's next appearance will probably be on Wednesday for one of the Red Sox' affiliates in playoff action.

Also on the PawSox roster for rehab purposes are infielder Brandon Snyder, who has a sore right elbow, and pitcher Alex Wilson, who sprained his right thumb. Snyder has been on the DL since Aug. 8; Wilson has been on it since July 9.

They are the only two Boston players on the 15-day disabled list. Buchholz is on the 60-day DL.

Victorino abandoned his switch-hitting identity as a result of soreness in his left hamstring, and his production has heated up in the aftermath of that. He was 2 for 4 with a walk, two runs and an RBI on Friday night. In the last five games, he is 10 for 19 (.526) with nine runs and 11 RBIs. Victorino has four homers and two doubles in that span.

The right fielder said he eventually plans to go back to being a switch hitter, adding, "That's what I was brought here to do."

Carp day to day

Mike Carp was not in the starting lineup for Boston and is listed as day to day with a sore left shoulder. With lefty Hector Santiago on the mound for Chicago, Carp would not have been a starter anyway. He was available, though, for pinch-hitting duty.

Left-handed hitting Stephen Drew started at shortstop, with rookie Xander Bogaerts on the bench.

Facing former mates

Jake Peavy has pitched against every team in major league baseball except for two, and that number will be reduced by 50 percent tonight when he faces the White Sox at 7:10.

The White Sox and Padres, both teams for which he pitched, are the only two teams Peavy has not faced. He is 10-5 with a 3.99 ERA this season, 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA for the Red Sox.

John Danks, Peavy's teammate throughout his White Sox career, will pitch for Chicago. Danks is 4-10 with a 4.35 ERA.

Finally forcing one in

For a team that prides itself on working the count and being patient, the Red Sox don't walk very much with the bases loaded. Mike Napoli's RBI base on balls in the third gives them six in 151 appearances with the bases full.

Diamond Dust

Daniel Bard had six walks and one strikeout in 1? innings worth of work in the Gulf Coast League. That league's season is over, but Bard "has not closed the book on his season," Boston manager John Farrell said, and Bard could pitch more at Lowell. ... Ryan Dempster surrendered his 20th solo home run of the season, to Avisail Garcia in the seventh. Dempster has thrown 24 gopher balls this season. … Jonny Gomes finds himself in an offensive rut. He was 0 for 3 on Friday night. Since Aug. 16, he is just 3 for 26 (.115), and his average has skidded from .238 to .226. … Will Middlebrooks' stolen base in the fourth made the Sox 19 for 19 in steals in their last 19 games. … No matter how you look at it, forward or backward, attendance was 36,063.

Box score

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